Eleutheroi (Thrace)
Thraikioi Doryphoroi (Thracian Light Spearmen) Among the Thraikian tribes, the vast majority of men of military age are too poor to fight in the bands of well-equipped units. As farmers, herders, and general pastoralists, many of these Thraikians cannot afford more than a few pieces of military equipment. For that reason many of them carry simple wooden shields, a clutch of javelins with fire-hardened wooden tips, and a simple spear. While many of the warriors who perform service for their tribe are these farmers, herders, and fishermen, many of them are also accustomed to a form of warfare through their incessant, low intensity squabbles with neighboring tribes, or even through occasional raids on passing trading parties or local trading emporia. So while they lack good weaponry, or armor, they carry a ferocious disposition - they are Thraikians, after all. While they may carry their ferocity on to the battlefield, their lack of experience in much of anything larger than a skirmish over farmland may cause their ferocity to dissipate in the face of prolonged hand-to-hand combat with well-ordered, or even professional, soldiery. They are accustomed to short skirmishes and decisive charges, and so are best used in similar roles. Thraikioi Hippeis (Thracian Light Cavalry) Thraikoi Hippeis are skilled Thracian skirmisher cavalry who harass their enemies with javelins. To maintain high mobility they wear no armor beneath their characteristic cloaks (called "zeira"), but their small thureos shields and Phrygian helmets with cheek guards provide some protection from their foes. They are trained in the use of the wedge formation and their Scordisci swords can be effective in close quarter fighting, but they are best used harassing infantry or slower cavalry at range. Historically, these hard-fighting troopers were known for their fearlessness and swift maneuverability. They adopted hit-and-run cavalry tactics after their many encounters with the Skythians, making the Thraikoi Hippeis the bane of heavier and slower enemies. Megas Alexandros employed Thracian skirmisher cavalry in his journeys, and their reputation was that of hard-drinking, uninhibited people. In battle they preferred to throw the first volley of cornel-wood javelins at maximum range so they could quickly ready a follow-up volley. Thraikioi Peltastai (Thraikian Peltasts) The Thraikian Peltast was the originator and the best of the peltasts and these men will often give a better service than their Hellenic counterparts. They are armored in good quality linen and carry a smaller version of the thureos style shield. They are Hellenized warriors, but still have their trademark wild beards, which serve to remind their enemies of their country of origin. They are expert javelinmen, able to pepper their targets with javelins before charging in with their fearsome rhomphaias. They are well trained and among the fiercest and most feared warriors in the entire world, and they know it. This often makes them very impetuous, but an able general should be able to keep them at bay until the right moment. Thraikioi Peltastai can be used with equal precision as skirmishers or medium shock infantry. They are even deadly against armored horsemen, due to their wicked armor-piercing blades. Historically, the Thraikioi Peltastai have been around since the late Bronze Age and are often considered the archetype of the Thraikian warrior, though these Hellenized Peltastai are considerably more heavily armored than their fifth century ancestors. The Thraikioi Peltastai have been plying their deadly trade against Hellenes for as long as any Thraikian or Hellene can remember, and their method of warfare was so effective it was copied by the Hellenes and Makedonians and even mimicked by tribes as distant as the Illyrians. The number of battles and by whom they were used is uncountable. Suffice to say Thraikian peltastai have been used in every major conflict between Hellenic states, and will continue to be used. Galathraikes (Gallo-Thracian Infantry) These warriors are highly sought after swordsmen from the Celtic-dominated regions of Thraikia. They carry a small, sturdy thureos, several javelins, and a Celtic longsword. They wear bronze helmets of Celtic types, which became popular after the Galatai invaded Thraikia, and wear little armament aside from this helmet and their shield, even though for the price of their arm torcs (a fusion of Thraikian and Celtic practice) they could afford some form of body armor. Many of them are veterans, former mercenaries in the armies of Hellenistic monarchs or poleis, or warriors in the tribal armies of Galatian or Thracian rulers. They carry good equipment and handle it well, and most of them have chosen to forsake armor, having learned from experience the values of mobility and endurance. They are valuable as shock troops of a sort: throwing them against unbroken ranks of sarissa spears will likely end in their deaths, but are at their best in quick assaults on flanks or against enemy fortifications. Historically, when the Galatai invaded Thraikia, they set up several small kingdoms: that of Tylis, and that of the Skordiskoi. Within these kingdoms, the Galatian warriors seem to have held prominence, but, especially in the case of Tylis, they were too few in number for their rulers to exclude the defeated Thraikians from the ranks of an effective army. So members of the Odrysai and other defeated tribes integrated bit by bit into the Galatian kingdoms in Thraikia. They quickly adopted some of the Celtic weapons and armor, and began using the torc, not around the neck, but as a set, on their arms, replacing the bracelets and arm bands they had formerly used. Several Hellenistic period finds from Bulgaria have revealed warrior burials which feature a mix of Thraikian and Galatian practice: La Tene longswords, the Thracian torcs, and a number of types of eastern Celtic helmets. Many of these soldiers likely fought for or against the kings of Tylis and of the Skordiskoi. Many others likely capitalized on the popularity of Galatians in Hellenistic armies, seeking service with the Ptolemaioi at Maroneia, or after 197, with the Seleukides in the same place. The Seleukides, if we follow Arrian, actually invaded Maroneia for the purpose of recruiting the Galatians in Thraikia. From the Hellenistic perspective, a Galatian sword and a Galatian shield usually were sufficient to constitute a Galatian, and many Thraikians and Galathraikians--the result of long cohabitation in Tylis and the lands of the Skordiskoi means it is difficult to really speak of Galatian or Thraikian as if they are fully separate from one another--likely benefited from the ambiguity surrounding Galatian identity, and from the Hellenistic monarchs' overall desire for semi-barbarian warriors, whether Thraikians or Galatians. Taxeis Triballoi (Triballi Infantry) The Triballoi are a particularly fierce Thraikian tribe that contributes a very deadly assault infantry to any Thraikian warlord or any strategos who hires them. These Thraikians are wearing leather armor with ptyreges, leather greaves, Thracian helms and thureos shields and they are armed with javelins and Skythian longswords. True to their Thraikian ancestry they are ferocious warriors who fight with an intensity unmatched by other troops in the region. They are more than capable of going toe to toe with most other medium infantry and can be utterly lethal as flankers against heavier infantry. Their javelins give them another edge, as they can unleash a volley or two before closing in on the hopefully thinned enemy formation. In short, they are a very able assault infantry if properly used on the battlefield. Historically, the Triballoi were among the most fierce and warlike of the Thracian tribes, although that has been said about most Thracian tribes. However, it might have more merit for the Triballoi, as they were a byword for savagery and an Athenian club for lawless youths was named after them. The Triballoi were once subdued by Philippos II, and then again by Alexandros. Alexandros was so impressed by them that he hired many and brought them on his Persian expedition. They were instrumental as assault infantry, and were able to outfight the Persian infantry on every occasion that they met them. These troops had a simple philosophy of war. Throw javelins, charge, and then rip your enemies apart. For such simple tactics, they were wildly effective against most enemies. The Triballoi were in constant contact with the Getai and Skythians and also the Illyrians. One Illyrian tribe, the Autariatai, overcame the Triballi around 424 and forced them out of their original homelands further south than their present location and they were also hard pressed centuries later when the Celts migrated to the area. The Skythian, Illyrian and later Celtic influences on the Triballoi might be the reason they are sometimes mentioned as distinct from the other Thracian tribes. Thraikioi Rhomphaiaphoroi (Elite Thracian Infantry) The elite infantry of the Thraikian tribes are armed with the heaviest of Thraikian weapons, the rhomphaia. Unlike most other Thraikian warriors, these warriors can afford relatively heavy armor and are thus armored with chain mail or scale cuirasses, Phrygian helmets--often with elaborately moulded cheek pieces, bronze greaves and a pelta. They are armored infantry killers of great renown, well able to chop their way through heavily armored enemy soldiers. These soldiers can even be effective against armored horsemen, since their large rhomphaia have been known to sheer through the legs of horses. In the right hands, this band of warriors can be a devastating battle-winning force in itself. Historically, there were relatively few of these soldiers in any Thraikian army, but they were always at the forefront, where the fighting was thickest. Each had risen to a position of power within his respective tribe, often they formed the elite troops of the chief or local king. The Rhomphaiaphoroi represent the pinnacle of the Thracian military know-how. In the old Thraikian way of battle, the Rhomphaiaphoroi would form the brunt of a decisive charge, once the Peltastai had worn down the enemy. Their charge was nearly unstoppable, and often led to outright routs against less stalwart opponents, as their fearful Rhomphaia, sturdy weapons composed of nearly two meters of heavy iron, could pierce thick armor, and cleave limb from torso with little trouble. With their row of long iron points, bands of Rhomphaiaphoroi could also defend against oncoming horse, and when wielded by a skilled swordsman a single blow could hamstring a horse or sever an enemy’s limbs. Misthophoroi Thraikioi Prodromoi (Thracian Medium Cavalry) In the Thraikian and Makedonian armies, these medium cavalry are a common sight. The reason for this is that they are excellent medium cavalry, capable of skirmishing, charging, and fighting fairly well in melee. They are armored with good quality linen, bronze helms, and the distinctive Thraikian shields that mark their country of origin. They are an extremely versatile cavalry force that can be given the moniker ‘jack of all trades and master of none’. They are great all-round cavalry, but will not fare well against heavier cavalry or spear or pike armed infantry. They are drawn from the lower Thraikian nobility and many have settled in Makedonia, lured by land grants and higher pay. Historically, Thraikian light cavalry was some of the best in the ancient world. They proved their worth in battle after battle, whether in Makedonian or Hellenic service, or the service of their own kings. Their tactical versatility made them a light cavalry equivalent to that of the Romaioi legions, well able to perform any battle role and to adapt quickly to any circumstance. Category:Eleutheroi